Summer Berry Bread

Decisions are not easy to make. There is always a doubt: ‘ What if I am making the wrong decision?’, and we know that the answer will come only with time.
On a freelancing road, from time to time I come to a point when the road has two or more exits, and I know it is just me that has to decide which road to take. Sometimes I know it immediately but others I spend a lot of time on that same point, thinking about all of the bad and good things that each road can bring.

During May I came into one of these points. I knew I have to change something, I needed to make decision but it was not easy.
I was a few weeks with just one question in my head: ‘ What to do next?’, and last week the answer came to me… just like that.
I still don’t know if it was the wrong or right thing to do, there is always a risk included… but I feel more calm, relaxed… I can continue my road and time will show…

During the weekend I felt the need to bake and cook (I felt a bit lack of it in the last weeks), to spend time in the kitchen… and sun was there to accompany me, so what could be better then berry bread for a sunny afternoon snack?

Place flour, salt, yeast, sugar and margarine in a big bowl. Work with your fingertips until you get crumbs. Beat together the egg and milk. Pour the mixture into the dry ingredients. Knead it into the dough with your hands until thoroughly incorporated. Cover with a clean tea towel and leave to prove in a warm place for 30min.

Turn on the oven to 200ºC.
To make the filling, put the flour, sugar, cardamom and berries in a separate bowl and mix until berries are evenly coated.

Roll out the dough on a floured work surface until it is 4cm larger then the prepared roasting tray. Line the prepared roasting tray with the pastry (the pastry should go only slightly up the sides). Cut off the excess pastry.
Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the pastry case, then spread the berries evenly on the top. Gather up the offcuts of pastry and roll out on the floured work surface again. Cut into long stripes and lay four strips diagonally across the top of the bread. Repeat with four strips in the opposite direction. Stick the ends of the stripes to the edge of the tart with a dab of water. Brush with the egg wash.

Bake on the middle rack for 30 minutes. Leave to cool slightly , then dust with icing sugar and serve warm.